future defense requirements of the United States. That
assessment is expected to provide key input for the
Navy’s Fiscal Year 2018 30-year Shipbuilding Plan.

Forbes said that when he has met with world leaders, they described the security challenges the world
is facing as more complex than in recent history. The
United States needs a strong, robust, forward-deployed
naval force to assist in lowering acceptable risk for our
national security, he said.

“The number of ships, and their capabilities matter,but we need to ensure as a nation we have the rightmaritime strategy,” he said. “Rapid innovation, distrib-uted lethality and improving acquisition are important,but our strategic national strategy must align to face thecomplex global challenges to our maritime domain.”The American public needs to understand that mari-time security ensures economic prosperity, Forbes said,“and the American people need to be reminded that ournaval forces are the backstop for freedom of the world.”The Big Stick Award citation also stated: “RandyForbes truly understands what the forward-deployed‘in the arena’ maritime forces definition of what thisBig Stick Award truly embodies. … [He] has beenequally steadfast in advocating and supporting the U.S.Coast Guard and U.S. Marine Corps programs.

“Furthermore, Randy Forbes has been a clear,articulate and strong supporter of our nation’s Sailors,Marines, Coast Guardsmen and Merchant Mariners,and our nation’s veterans. Chairman Forbes manydistinguished years of unselfish service to our SeaServices and our nation are a credit to the office towhich the people have entrusted him.”During his remarks, Forbes noted that not only wasit an honor to be compared with one of the nation’sgreat naval strategists, it gave him a link to sharewith his wife, Shirley. In researching her ancestry,she found a direct family lineage to President TeddyRoosevelt.As part of its Annual Meeting and Holiday Party, theNational Capital Council held a brief business meetingwith the swearing in of the 2017 Board of Directors anda review of the 2016 council activities.In 2016, the National Capital Council provided morethan $52,000 in support to local Sea Cadet units, morethan $17,000 in support to adopted ships and rec-ognized the outstanding efforts of local commandsthrough the participation in Sailor of the Quarterceremonies, according to Council Executive DirectorBeth Klein. Additionally, the council oversaw theSecond Annual Navy Mile — a one-mile race downWashington’s Pennsylvania Ave. that was held Oct. 8— with more than 700 participants and proceeds bene-fiting the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps and the Navy SafeHarbor Foundation.The meeting continued recognition of the localNavy and Coast Guard spouses’ organizations, with$500 donations to each of their scholarship funds,and the donation by attendees of new toys to the U.S.

Marine Corps Toys for Tots program. n
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Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul F. Zukunft and his wife, Fran
DeNinno-Zukunft, stand with a group of Marines during the National
Capital Council’s Annual Meeting and Holiday Party. The Marines
collected donations by attendees for the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for
Tots program.